North Korea tells foreigners in capital to follow rules amid coronavirus crackdown

 Following the announcement that North Korea is investigating its first possible coronavirus case, authorities reminded foreigners living in Pyongyang to abide by anti-coronavirus measures, the Russian embassy there said on Wednesday.

North Korea’s foreign ministry circulated a notice on Tuesday telling foreigners not to leave the city, hold large meetings, and to wear masks, among other rules, the embassy said in a post on its Facebook page.

North Korean leader appears in public after 20 days

North Korea declared a state of emergency and introduced tougher curbs against the coronavirus, state media reported, after it locked down the town of Kaesong, on the border with the South, to tackle what could be its first publicly confirmed infection.

State television reports showed people in protective gear disinfecting buildings and surfaces around the capital city of Pyongyang.

Temperature checks using infrared thermometers, hand-washing facilities and sanitizer dispensers were in place in public locations including shopping malls, restaurants and hotels, the World Health Organization said in a statement.